Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Here is the January 11 Green Spotlight. More than 26,325 environmentally oriented stories have been rescued to appear in this series since 2006. Inclusion of a story in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
Username4242 writes—Ghost in the dunes--the cheetahs of the Sahara: “Evening, in the windswept dunes of southern Algeria, is a welcome affair. Somewhere in that fine line between day and night, the Saharan sun transforms from oppressively radiant taskmaster to beguiling friend. A steady breeze tosses about grains of sand, as though an hourglass was being slowly and imperceptively turned. As the desert sky fades from gold to blue, slow yet purposeful footsteps can be heard. A cheetah is on the prowl. That there are populations of cheetahs living in the Sahara desert and its southernly neighbor, the Sahel, is only slightly less than the sum total of human knowledge of their ecology. Records of their numbers are slight, and few population surveys exist. But the little we do know paints a picture of an elusive, wide-ranging desert carnivore precariously holding onto existence by the slimmest margins.The latest population surveys, compiled by Sarah Durant and colleagues in a 2017 paper, suggest that there approximately 220 North African cheetahs, of which 191 live in Algeria and Mali.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Bureaucracy Vs. Trump: An Unmovable Object Against The Immutable Force: “The meta-coverage of the world of doublespeak and ‘alternative facts’ continues. WaPo’s Margaret Sullivan suggests that the gall of new Press Secretary Sean Spicer to “brazenly lie to the media in his first official briefing” has killed traditional presidential reporting. But Politico’s Jack Shafer sees it a little differently, contending that ‘Extraordinary times like these call for normal measures: The meticulous, aggressive and calm presentation of the news.’ He names David Fahrenthold, the WaPo reporter who used Twitter to dig up the self-dealing details of Donald Trump’s supposedly charitable foundation, as the model for reporters to follow. Shafer also points to a piece about Obama’s much more subtle and less ‘alternative’ mastery of media manipulation, written by Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen, back when they ran Politico. What are those two up to now? Funny you should ask! These days they’re running a new sort of media operation, a company known as Axios. You may have just heard about them, specifically their ‘sneaky look’ at the new EPA ‘agency action’ plan. The document, written by CEI’s Myron Ebell, recommends some rather startling actions along the ‘sound science’ lines we’ve seen before (the term itself was popularized by the tobacco industry). But more shocking is the suggestion that the EPA shouldn’t fund any scientific research, which would be a major blow to public health, among other things.”
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
OceanDiver writes—The Daily Bucket - winter mirages: “The sub-freezing weather has broken in the Pacific Northwest for now but that long stretch of unusually cold air created some beautiful and fascinating views of nature. We’ve been seeing what winter means in various parts of the country these past few weeks — today I can show you something that requires a special set of circumstances. When the air gets very cold and calm, we see mirages across the water like the one above. Notice how the land appears to float above the surface of the sea? When we get a bit closer to those islands, we can see not just the “floating” effect but also mirror images of the shoreline just above ‘sea level.’ How do these strange images form, and why do we see them only a few times in winter in the Pacific Northwest?”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket—Flooded! “I live in the suburbs west of Portland Oregon, 140 feet above sea level, on the side of a long-extinct, eroded, 1000-foot-tall volcanic ridge. The nearby houses and towering trees obscure the severe slope of my neighborhood. I once tried to laser-level my front yard, and discovered the south end was 3 feet lower than the north end. I occupy the lowest of the eighteen houses on my block. The north end of my 900-foot-long block is about 60 feet higher than my yard at the south end. When it rains, everyone’s back yard drains downhill and through my back yard. [...] We’d always wondered why the azalea and and variegated Pieris Japonica fared poorly along the north edge of our back yard. This fall I dug them up and potted them. Then I raked away the leaves where the plants had been, so I could see how that area drained. I knew it might be wet there, especially for the Pieris.”
Angmar writes—The Daily Bucket: "G " is for: Photo Diary.
Angmar writes—The Daily Bucket: NY State winter snowfall photo-diary.
durrati writes—Drumpf Hates Horses. USDA Ban on Crippling "Horse Soring" Falls by Wayside: “While one might understand Mitt Romney’s opposing the despicable practice of horse soring, a cruel practice used to painfully alter a show horse’s gait, given that Mr. 46%’s wife is partial to riding prancing ponies, Trump’s complicity in extending this barbaric Practice can probably be attributed to his butt-stupid ignorance of the measures he let fall by the wayside by nixing new restrictions placed upon it by the outgoing Obama administration. ‘Just one week before President Barack Obama left office, the Department of Agriculture announced it had finalized a new regulation to update the Horse Protection Act. To become effective, the rule must be published in the Federal Register. The new rule was supposed to be published Tuesday. But on President Donald Trump’s first day in office last Friday, the White House issued a memorandum for all unpublished rules to be withdrawn and sent back to the relevant agency for review.’”
CLIMATE CHAOS
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Now Is The (Warmest) Winter Of Our Discontent: “Any of you wish you had this job, covering fake news, calling out problems in real news and exposing the funding trails behind propaganda? Well you’re in luck, because CNN is looking to hire a reporter to cover fake news, with a job description that’s basically a denier roundup, writ large. Cool to know that we were some five years ahead of the curve here! No doubt whoever gets the gig will be busy, because the freshly minted Trump presidency is poised to be the administration least tethered to objective reality. Even before Conway coined the term ‘alternative facts,’ and the Trump White House distorted figures on climate regulations, Politico Magazine had a couple of must-read pieces on this. One details the psychological toll of Trump’s Lies vs. Your Brain, covering much of the path we’ve been cutting here for years, but in the sadly relevant context of our newest president. The second piece is much more simple- a debunking of the 82 verifiably false things Trump said in the mere 71 days between election and inauguration. (And he didn’t stop there, as the Guardian fact-checked his inaugural speech.) But you’re here for climate, not news about fake news.”
OCEANS, WATER, DROUGHT
e2247 writes—Pray for water protectors, ND aquifers, Missouri & Mississippi watersheds. Phone Senators: “Please pray for the water protectors now across the nation at several spiritually-based water protector nonviolent prayerful camps and on presentation tours while some remain now at Standing Rock. Please Phone Senators (sample here) to oppose Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator. And help the lawyers who are confronting #NotARealPresident www.facebook.com/... You see, here's why we pray and phone: Great Plains Physiographic Province is crossed by Dakota Access Pipeline. See map here: sacredstonecamp.org… and below, here: Besides 17 million people and countless businesses (jobs) downstream from Standing Rock all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, DAPL threatens to pollute the water supplying irrigation to crops inGreat Plains Physiographic Province. #NotARealPresident should be questioned on how he's going to protect all those waters. And DAPL crosses the Missouri River twice, Des Moines River, Mississippi River, Rock River, Illinois River as well as others of 204 water body crossings of which 22 are major water bodies (2016-11-23 interactive map: at least 22 big water crossings, highlighted in blue, have to be drilled deep under large bodies of water ~~ "The Conflicts Along 1,172 Miles of the Dakota Access Pipeline" - The New York Times).”
Dan Bacher writes—Jerry Brown praises Trump's plan for new tunnels and other infrastructure: “California Governor Jerry Brown today delivered his State of the State Address, portraying his administration as the ‘Resistance’ to the policies of Donald Trump while at the same time praising the President for his plan to spend $1 trillion in infrastructure funding. The mainstream media, some NGOs and many California politicians immediately gushed over the speech —apparently after not having heard or read the entire address. On the one hand, the Governor vowed to ‘defend everybody—every man, woman and child—who has come here ...and has contributed to the well-being of our state’ and committed to protecting the state's gains on immigration, health care and climate change, guided by the principles that make California ‘the Great Exception’—truth, civility and perseverance. [...] However, Brown then switched directions and praised President Trump’s plan for $1 trillion in infrastructure spending.”
REGULATORY ISSUES
Walter Einenkel writes—Without warning, the CDC quietly cancels health conference on climate change: “The Republican Party is no friend of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They’ve been trying to gut the CDC for a while now, creating a steady starvation diet of the agency’s budget for years now. This coming February, Atlanta was set to house a major climate change summit concerning the health effects that our rapidly changing climate poses. That has been abruptly put on hold. The Climate and Health Summit was scheduled to be held in Atlanta, where the CDC is headquartered, in February. Agency leaders did not directly address why the summit was canceled and instead forwarded an email sent to participants indicating it may be rescheduled. ‘We are currently exploring options so that the Summit may take place later in the year,’ CDC officials wrote. Some believe that with an adversarial legislature and an orange president whose “advisor” is a man who wants to see the world burn down, the CDC is trying to lower its science profile.”
Paul Bland for Public Justice writes—Trump Wants "Alternative Facts" on Climate Change. We Saved the Real Ones: “This morning, just a few blocks from Public Justice’s Washington, D.C. offices, Greenpeace protesters unfurled a banner – RESIST – atop a construction crane. It has captured a lot of attention at a time when many are thinking about how to go about making progress under this new, and often challenging, political reality. Now, there may be some areas where our mission will align with the new Administration . . . if (and this is a big ‘if’) President Trump governs the way he promised when he was merely Candidate Trump. For example, if the President keeps his many promises to side with the little guy against bank lobbyists, we will have a lot of common ground to work together. (A major part of our work is fighting against predatory lending.) But there are already several areas where we have no choice but to strongly resist the Administration, and in particular we will fight the Administration’s attempts to claim “alternative facts” as the truth when it comes to climate change.”
committed writes—under Trump, climate change will no longer exist: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called off a major conference on climate change planned for February, E&E News reported Monday.”
oldhippiedude writes—Park Service Employees Show Us All What Resistance Looks Like: “Most of you are aware of an incident on Tuesday that involved an employee or employees of Badlands National Park tweeting climate change facts, only to be shut down by the Trump White House.Hours after that, someone at Golden Gate National Park sent out the same facts on their Twitter account, with similar results.Electric Frontier Foundation co-founder John Gilmore once said, ‘The Internet interprets censorship as damage, and routes around it. ‘Now we have this”:
Walter Einenkel writes—National Park Service goes rogue—tweets out climate change data and information: “The Badlands Nat’l Park Twitter account has gone rogue! Very brave. We salute you!”
Walter Einenkel writes—Trump using Republican playbook to tie up the EPA while methodically gutting it: “The Republican Party has been attacking science and the “regulations” that come out of scientific discoveries and data for some time now. Texas Representative Lamar Smith was about to become the chair of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. When Rep. Smith farts, oil and Koch brothers money shoots out of his ears, that is. Rep. Smith has used his position to tie up scientists’ time and energy by relentlessly subpoenaing various agencies of research. He and other Republicans use the guise of ‘oversight’ to create these costly and time-consuming witch hunts to stall the progress that different groups are making and then figuring out ways to neuter those programs. There is no shame for Republicans in overstepping any and all boundaries of decency or legality. Trump’s transition team has brought us Oklahoma’s oil and gas industry friendly Scott Pruitt to become the head of the EPA. If Pruitt is confirmed what can we expect to see?”
Mark Sumner writes—EPA ordered to remove climate change information: “The Environmental Protection Agency, like much of the government, is now behind the Trump Wall of censorship, prohibited from talking with the press, public, or Congress. But behind that wall, some hammering and destruction can be heard. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the climate change page from its website, two agency employees told Reuters, the latest move by the newly minted leadership to erase ex-President Barack Obama's climate change initiatives. Al Gore surely feels completely vindicated in coming to Trump Tower for a discussion now. After all, Trump did indicate he was keeping an open mind, and Ivanka was friendly. Now that US scientists are under a gag order prohibiting them from both speaking out and sharing the data that climate researchers need, that memory will surely keep him warm. Or cool.”
Mark Sumner writes—EPA under a gag order as Trump team shuts down grants, press communication: “And while the flow of information out of the EPA has been locked down, it’s far more than press releases that have ceased to flow. EPA staff has been instructed to freeze all its grants ― an extensive program that includes funding for research, redevelopment of former industrial sites, air quality monitoring and education, among other things ― and told not to discuss this order with anyone outside the agency, according to a Hill source with knowledge of the situation. These grants power everything from sampling pollution around Superfund sites to community recycling programs and environmental education programs used in schools. The grant lockdown follows reports that Trump intends to cut $815 million from the EPA’s budget, destroying not only the ability to fund research, but to enforce existing standards.”
A Siegel writes—Stalin would be proud: @TeamTrump moving forward w/anti-#science #NewSpeak censorship: “Core to #MAGA, @TeamTrump encompasses many of the worst anti-science pontificators and activists not just in the United States, but globally. Core to this is climate science denial. Thus, as Trump (falsely) took the Oath of Office (and immediately became in violation of it due to the Emoluments Clause), the Trumpist White House website replace President Obama’s and the words “climate change” disappeared from it. (That is, until I put up Boost the American Economy Through Climate Action petition.) Science denial has quickly been spreading through the Administration, with orders squelching government agencies’ and employees’ abilities/rights to engage with the public, posted tweets ordered deleted, threats to programs, and now a quite explicit directive to remove basic science from government websites. As is being reported, Team Trump has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to eliminate climate change and climate change science from its communications with the public.”
Jen Hayden writes—After Trump issues science gag orders, government scientists begin going rogue, plan march on D.C.: “Scientists working in the federal government are not happy with the science-denying direction this administration is already taking in week one. WEEK ONE! Here’s the bone-chilling directive sent to employees of the Environmental Protection Agency: • No press releases will be going out to external audiences. • No social media will be going out. A Digital Strategist will be coming on board to oversee social media. Existing, individually controlled, social media accounts may become more centrally controlled. • No blog messages. • No new content can be placed on any website. Only do clean up where essential. Popular Science noted how dangerous this is for the public at-large, ‘Late Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis once wrote that “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” Science will suffer without transparency—and so will we.’Rogue scientists are plotting to fight back. An ‘alt’ account popped up on Twitter with news of a scientists march on Washington after the National Park Service feeds were ordered to be shut down.”
seashells writes—National Park Service Goes Rogue: AltUSNatParkSer On Twitter. Plus, 'Scientists March On Washington': Some National Park Service staff have gone rogue and started an alt-twitter feed to keep peer-reviewed Science alive. They also mention a Scientists March On Washington! Please note that Canada under Harper also had issues with gag orders. www.vice.com… It’s worth noting that there was public backlash and helped the liberal Prime Minister Trudeau get seated with a liberal majority. I think this is the birth of the ‘Alt-Left’ twitter.com/... AltUSNatParkService @AltNatParkSer: Mr Trump, you may have taken us down officially. But with scientific evidence & the Internet our message will get out. • Respect goes out to our brothers and sisters at the @BadlandsNPS. When they silence you, we will speak for you. • Think about what happened for employees at #BadlandsNationalPark to actually DELETE factual tweets on climate change. • Somewhere a call came down the line demanding the account editor remove the tweets. Someone pulled rank and cited President Trump's orders.
pollwatcher writes—Government Workers Are Resisting! AltUSNatParkService @AltNatParkSer: “Government workers are not going to stand by and let the GOP fascists destroy our democracy and everything they’ve worked for. You never know if a Twitter account is legitimate or not, but this looks pretty real. [...] Here’s how they describe themselves: The Unofficial "Resistance" team of U.S. National Park Service. Not taxpayer subsidised! Come for rugged scenery, fossil beds, 89 million acres of landscape. Here are some of their tweets: AltUSNatParkService @AltNatParkSer” Can't wait for President Trump to call us FAKE NEWS. You can take our official twitter, but you'll never take our free time!”
Frank Vyan Walton writes—So begins the war on science, fact and the environment: “We now know due to his opinion about his Inauguration crowd, despite all available evidence, and his belief that there were 3-5 Million “Illegal Votes” cast in the election that Donald John Trump is a deeply deluded conspiracy theorist. Unfortunately the depth of his delusions aren’t limited to crowd sizes and vote counting, he’s also quite deluded about climate change which he once claimed was a “Hoax created by China.’ What he things about crowd size is one thing, but what he believes about our environment has direct and serious potential impacts for all of us. During the newly elected President’s firehose blast of executive orders, he has included the restoration of both the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipeline projects. But that doesn’t mean those projects are automatically restarted. What he actually did was ask for the Army Corp of engineers to reconsider their previous decision and for Trans Canada, the company behind KXL, to resubmit their application to the State Department. What I have to ask is why and how is he expecting either of those agencies to magically come up with a different answer than the did before without being politically influenced which would potentially be a violation of the Hatch Act?”
Anna M writes—The GOP's Assault on the Environment Has Begun: “All mention of Climate Change has been removed the Whitehouse.gov website. Instead we get Trump’s new energy ‘plan’: ‘For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years. Sound energy policy begins with the recognition that we have vast untapped domestic energy reserves right here in America. The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans. We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own. We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure. Less expensive energy will be a big boost to American agriculture, as well.”
VeganMilitia writes—Destroying the EPA in week one: “The Trump administration has instructed officials at the Environmental Protection Agency to freeze its grants and contracts, a move that could affect everything from state-led climate research to localized efforts to improve air and water quality to environmental justice projects aimed at helping poor communities. [...] According to its website, each year the EPA awards more than $4 billion in funding for grants and other assistance agreements. For now, it appears, that funding is on hold, casting a cloud of uncertainty over one of the agency's core functions, as well as over the scientists, state and local officials, universities and Native American tribes that often benefit from the grants.”
rflctammt writes—Trump Administration Begins the Strangulation of the EPA: “Much about any freeze at the EPA remains unclear, including whether it affects only new grants and contracts, or may also affect the roughly $6.4 billion worth of federal contracts the EPA already has in place. EPA press offices across the country did not immediately respond to calls and emails requesting comment.The EPA routinely contracts out services ranging from hazardous waste handling to drinking water quality testing. More than 600 active contracts with businesses ranging from small minority-owned consulting companies to institutions as big as Colorado State University can be explored here.”
Kerry Eleveld writes—After Trump puts the truth on lockdown, climate change tweets deleted from park service account: “It's started. While everyone was discussing Trump's delusional voter fraud claims, the White House put a chokehold on the truth, silencing federal agencies from communicating both with Congress and the public. The fruits of that labor were seen Tuesday when the Badlands National Park Service tweeted out a little too much truth about climate science. Those tweets were promptly deleted, according to NPR reporter Nathan Rott. [...]The tweet scrubbing was an ominous sign for future communications from federal agencies. In response, DNC press secretary Adrienne Watson issued a statement saying simply, ‘Vladimir Putin would be proud.’ That sentiment was echoed by former employees of some federal agencies.”
matate99 writes—Death Valley NPS joins fight against Dear Leader: “Death Valley NPS is the latest part to turn their Twitter feed against Dear Leader. They are reminding us all today, as Dear Leader takes on all Americans who are not of a lily-white complexion, that we will will fight back.”
WILDERNESS, NATIONAL FORESTS AND PARKS & OTHER PUBLIC LANDS
Jill Richardson writes—A Love Letter in Pictures to Our National Parks: “This rabbit relative, a pika, is one of the species at risk from climate change. This is what we are fighting for. Just a part of what we are fighting for, because we are also fighting for ourselves — to keep our cities from ending up underwater, to keep malaria from moving to new regions where it isn’t present right now (it can only exist where average temperatures are warm enough and there are lots of places that are currently just about a fraction of a degree away from that threshold… a little bit of warming would put them right over the edge). So we are not only fighting for the future of adorable little pikas, but they are part of what’s at stake. This pika lives in a boulder field in Cascade Canyon within the Grand Tetons National Park. They can survive in cold temperatures, but not in warm temps. They live at high altitudes. As the planet warms, they can migrate up the mountains to colder areas for a bit. But that won’t work forever. The mountains are only so high.”
BYPRODUCTS, TRASH, TOXIC & RADIOACTIVE WASTE
kickstartAA writes—The Trump Administration & America's Waste Problem: “Recycling doesn’t appear to be a huge concern for Trump. Current predictions are that he will leave its enforcement and management up to individual states. With a greater emphasis on trade policy than the previous administration, a Trump presidency could mean more manufacturing and the industrial and solid waste that goes with it. While it’s too early to panic, Americans would be wise to watch for and protest new policies that hurt waste reduction efforts and the environment.”
ENERGY
Fossil Fuels
Dan Bacher writes—Western States Petroleum Association Exposed: The Biggest Corporate Lobby in Sacramento: “This is a revised transcript of a short speech that I gave at the end of the “Changefest rally” held on the north steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento on January 21. I will post a report on the rally later. The Western States Petroleum Association is the largest and most powerful corporate lobbying group in the West and California. It has spent more than other lobbying organization in Sacramento in recent years to exert control over the Governor’s Office, regulatory agencies and State Legislature, but its enormous influence appears to be one of California's best-kept secrets. Big Oil, along with Big Ag, Big Pharma, Big Timber and other corporate interests, dominate politics in California, as well as in Washington, D.C., as evidenced by Donald Trump’s nomination of EXXON CEO Rex Tilleson as Secretary of State, Scott Pruitt as EPA Administrator, and other oil and energy corporation shills to his cabinet.”
Renewables, Efficiency & Conservation
CwV writes—Where the jobs are: “More Americans are employed in solar power generation than in coal, oil and gas power generation combined! According to May Bulman at the Independent, Last year, solar energy employed 43 per cent of the Electric Power Generation sector's workforce, while traditional fossil fuels combined made up just 22 per cent. Reporting on a DoE report: Solar energy employed 374,000 people over the year 2015-2016, making up 43 per cent of the sector’s workforce, while the traditional fossil fuels combined employed 187,117, making up just 22 per cent of the workforce.”
Roger Fox writes—Bill Brennan for NJ Governor: Offshore Wind development NOW! “The Atlantic Wind Connection has languished on the shelf long enough during the Christie Administration. The AWC is a marine grid, 10 to 20 miles 350 miles long from NJ to Virginia Beach that will support the construction of 1000 wind turbines. With funding from google the ACW would be the largest offshore wind farm in the US. Studies show that wind turbines are carbon neutral in less than 12 months and provide the cheapest electricity of any newly built generation. With Chris Christie on the way out, its time to build offshore wind projects like the AWC. Democrat Bill Brennan supports the construction of The Atlantic Wind Connection.”
Pipelines & Other Oil and Gas Transport
Mark Sumner writes—Trump signing executive order forcing through Keystone XL and DAPL pipelines: “The evidence that the pipelines aren’t needed is overwhelming. The idea that they would create significant numbers of jobs is laughable. The threat they represent to the environment—both directly, and indirectly—is sizable. But the money Trump was handed by pipeline promoters didn’t stop at contributing to his campaign. They put big cash directly in his pocket. And now they get their reward. President Donald Trump intends to sign two executive actions today that would advance construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, according to a person familiar with the matter. For the thousands who have participated in protests leading to a reevaluation and eventual halt on these projects, this is a direct slap in the face. For Trump’s backers in the oil industry, it’s a big fat reward. One that will not only affect the balance of trade, and export oil jobs to Canada. Keystone XL would wipe out the U.S. trade surplus, and a hike in the price of oil to $75 or $80 a barrel would suddenly turn it to deficit. The oil for the Keystone pipeline comes from tar sands deposits in Canada that produce much more pollution than other types of oil production.”
A Siegel writes—#AlternativeFacts reign supreme in #Trump #KeystoneXL announcement: “The Keystone XL pipeline debate has been a preeminent space for that old analytical adage of ‘Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics.’ Truly, the debate adds a fourth category: ‘Statistical Claims about KXL Job Creation.’ While Republican politicians made claims sometimes over 1 million jobs and industry advocates regularly pontificated about 100,000, TransCanada came down to the creation of 13,000 temporary construction jobs (for two years), State Department analysis concluded roughly 5,000-6,000 jobs (over a three-year period), and Independent analysis questioned whether even that number would be reached. When serious systems analysis occurred, looking at potential impacts of gas price increases in the upper Midwest and other negative (such as due to pollution) implications, the results questioned whether—on net—there would be any US job creation.Today, Trump reopened the Keystone XL battle with a (yet to be published) Executive Order (or perhaps a memorandum ... things are murky at the moment) calling for a fast-track re-evaluation of the project. In promoting this, Trump remained true to his inner core—blustering with #AlternativeFacts to gain support for the project. Trump trumpeting that the pipeline would create a ‘lot of jobs, 28,000 jobs, great construction jobs.’ As Business Insider headlined this: Trump claims the Keystone XL pipeline will create 7 times more construction jobs than it actually will.”
Dan Bacher writes—Sanders, Gutiérrez Slam Trump Executive Order to Push Through DAPL & Keystone XL Pipeline: “President Donald Trump today signed executive orders to push through the Dakota Access and Keystone XL Pipelines, drawing immediate condemnation Senator Bernie Sanders, Congressman Luis. V. Gutiérrez , from activist and human rights organizations and others. Senator Bernie Sanders responded to the announcement in a tweet. ‘President Trump ignored the voices of millions and put the short-term profits of the fossil fuel industry ahead of the future of our planet.’ Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez tweeted: ‘#KeystoneXL & #DAPL are corporate attacks on environment, water, public health & communities with no lasting benefit to economy.’ Anna Galland, executive director of MoveOn.org Civic Action, responded to Trump’s action in a statement. ‘Less than four days into Trump’s Presidency, it is clear that the next four years will be about catering to corporate interests and big donors instead of putting American families and communities first’.”
Mike Wood writes—Grandkids, Pipelines and Sledding: “Yesterday I began my personal catharsis over the election disaster by writing a new blog. My first in a long time. I thought I was ready. I thought I could share my thoughts without getting too emotional. I thought I had become detached enough from what seemed like such a personal loss that I could begin to address issues that matter to me once again. But after reading today’s news headlines I feel that I simply picked off a scab and the pus is oozing. [...] I wrote: ‘My dread comes for my grandchildren because there will be things they don’t get to see, things they don’t get to experience. Things like wilderness areas and public lands of all kinds are likely to become inaccessible to the general public as they become leased out to mining and drilling and grazing...I have fear that my grandchildren will have to fight—perhaps even literally—for clean air and fresh water while we continue to drill baby drill for the dirtiest possible fuel.” And today almost as if my comments willed it into existence, President Trump put his personal stamp of approval on my dread. By executive order he has re-approved two pipelines—Keystone XL and Dakota Access--that have been protested and rejected by the American people’.”
LakeSuperior writes—Trump KXL Memorandum Fails to Address TransCanada $15 Billion NAFTA Claim/Litigation: “There are two overwhelming problems here that Trump has not addressed. While Trump’s oral comments said that all of the permits would be renegotiated and subject to additional terms and conditions….that is an empty promise and issuing the KXL permit under present circumstances cannot be in the public interest. And here are the reasons for that:President Obama took an unreasonable amount of time (7 years) to make a completely political decision to reject TransCanada’s KXL presidential permit application. [...] Because TransCanada was not happy with the permit application denial, they initiated two legal actions against the United States [...] Neither of these actions were settled by the end of the Obama Presidency, with President Obama apparently intending to leave this mess to Hillary Clinton to settle. However, Hillary Clinton will now be able to avoid this mess and President (sic) Trump will have to address it. However, absolutely nothing in Trump’s memoranda today recognizes that the the United States and TransCanada are still in a shooting war on two distinct legal fronts.”
LakeSuperior writes—Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council Urges Shutdown of All Protest Camps Near the Cannonball District: “Yesterday, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe made the following announcement on their Facebook web page: The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is grateful to all who have stood with us during our efforts to secure a thorough review of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Because we worked together, the Federal Government will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. Moving forward, our ultimate objective is best served by our elected officials, navigating strategically through the administrative and legal processes.Yesterday the Tribe passed a resolution brought forward by the Cannonball District which asked that no camps remain in the Cannonball District. Councilmen from across the reservation, including Cannonball, described the hardships and strain on the citizens and resources of our Nation. The Council passed the motion unanimously. For this reason, we ask the protectors to vacate the camps and head home with our most heartfelt thanks.”
BP in Wash writes—Bravo, President Best Businessman Ever ! You're "creating" 90 (not 28,000) new permanent jobs! “Fantastic work! Just what we knew you were capable of, Mr. Businessman. Sure, it's an environmental nightmare and puts water supplies in danger... but 90 jobs!! Who can argue with that kind of economic impact?! Of the remaining 16,100 positions, only 3,900 (or 1,950 per year, if the construction lasts two years) would be ‘construction jobs,’ as described by Trump today, and all but 50 would be temporary, with those 50 workers engaged in the ongoing operation of the Keystone XL once it is completed. Similarly, the Dakota Access Pipeline would employ the vast majority of its workers on a temporary basis until construction is complete. The company's calculation of 12,000 jobs also includes those indirect, non-construction roles at businesses in the region that expect an increase in activity during the short-term period of construction on the pipeline.The Brookings Institution estimates just 40 full-time permanent positions will remain upon the conclusion of construction on the DAPL. Of course, the contracts for the 2-year construction work that will temporarily provide relatively good wages for those who temporarily relocate to do that work will be worth millions to the owners of the companies that land those gigs. Wonder who they will be?”
Samuel Vargo writes—Bring back the protests! Trump gives go-ahead for Keystone XL and the Dakota Access Pipelines: “Trump signed orders to allow the go-ahead of both the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline on Tuesday. A more tactful right-wing nutcase would have at least waited a day before issuing orders for these pipelines, but Trump did it all on a Terrible Tuesday afternoon. And he even made this treacherous act of debauchery a photo op. Smile widely, now, oh orange one, and show the beautiful shine of that cheesy popcorn skin of yours! [...] Both these petroleum-pumping monsters, carrying the dirtiest crude oil on the planet from the Canadian oil sands, were nixed by outgoing President Barack Obama because the greatly loved Democrat feared climate change consequences, along with other environmental problems with these pipelines, like leaks that afflict all these noxious monsters. And although Trump's orders did not include permits for either pipeline to continue, if it was up to the world's biggest con-man now occupying the Oval Office, these documents would have been thrown in Big Oil's lap like the Trumpenfuhrer's braggadocios snake oil that’s banging around like an old 8-cylinder jalopy.”
Mark Sumner writes—An inconvenient spill: Pipeline burst provides perfect reminder of why DAPL shouldn't be built: “Just one day after Donald Trump signed an executive order overriding both sound judgement and market demand to put both Keystone XL and the DAPL pipelines back in the … pipeline, something has happened that brings a reminder of exactly why people were protesting these things in the first place. [...] A pipeline has spilled 200,000 litres — or 200 cubic metres — of crude oil on First Nations land, north of Stoughton.”
Winter Rabbit writes—Musical Giveaway to Standing Rock to help resist DAPL: “I finished a pledge in South Dakota years ago, and part of my giveaway was going to be revenue from the song below. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to sell Mp3s, because it became absorbed in the internet void; so, I gave away other things. Needless to say, I was disappointed, but I need to change gears now and briefly discuss the song.”
Winter Rabbit writes—DAPL Militarized Officers Committed Cultural Genocide: “Militarized officers forcing Water Protectors out of their Inipi Ceremony (sweat lodge) and confiscating ‘Sacred and cultural items, such as eagle-feather staffs and prayer drums’ is Cultural Genocide. ‘Richmond said the authorities told everyone to disperse. The water protectors asked officers for time and started praying in ceremonial and sacred sweat lodges. Richmond said officers soon started pulling people out of the shelters. One man was pulled out wearing only his underwear and arrested. [...] Sacred and cultural items, such as eagle-feather staffs and prayer drums, passed down from generation to generation and used in prayers and ceremonies were confiscated, he said.’”
ECO-ACTION & ECO JUSTICE
KathyM writes—ProPublica Asks Our Help in Watching for Environmental Issues: “I saw this over at ProPublica, and I hope that kossacks will join in and help them keep abreast of the harm Rumpians are going to do at a time when climate change is a crucial issue: Help Us Track Winds of Change as Trump Confronts Climate Issues. If you see something, say something. ProPublica is eager to get tips on shifts in available government information related to climate change. Until late morning on Friday, the White House homepage had an “issues” link to a page on the environment touting former President Obama’s efforts to build a ‘clean-energy economy’ and tackle climate change. It’s archive.org, but almost as soon as President Donald J. Trump’s hand was off the Bible, White House websites flipped to content consistent with Trump’s campaign pledges to roll back such programs. The live White House homepage now reflects President Donald J. Trump’s agenda, including a link to his energy plan, which includes ‘eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan”’of his predecessor. At ProPublica, we’ll be trying to keep track of subsequent changes on federal websites as the Trump administration settles in. On Twitter or elsewhere, use the hashtag #trumpeffect and of course contact me via @revkin on Twitter, on Facebook, or by email at andrew.revkin.”
seashells writes—Scientists Plan March On Washington. You're Invited If You Believe In Empirical Science Too: “A ‘Scientists March On Washington’ is in planning stages as a response to gag orders emanating from Trump. Canada had similar gag orders under the Conservative Harper and the backlash lead to the current liberal Trudeau government presently seated. (For more info on Canada’s past problems with anti-Science, Corporate rule link here www.vice.com/...) This March is not just for Scientists. It’s for anyone who believes in empirical science. And that discussion could help move a long overdue conversation about facts, fake news and reality forward. Also, there’s a graphic of Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew included here … since Republicans are trying to kill off NPR, NEA and Big Bird.”
alamancedem writes—Scientists' March on Washington Forming Now: “In response to the gag order and other likely War on Science there is a nascent March in embryonic form undergoing mitosis as I type. Website www.scientistsmarchonwashington.com”
e2247 writes—BREAK: 7 Greenpeace activists take a stand for social and environmental justice on the largest stage: “Two hours ago this iconic rally message and call to action was unfurled by 7 GreenpeaceUSA people. Greenpeace email said in part: As the sun rises over the White House, we are here to say that climate denial, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and bigotry will not become our new normal.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Informational Vaccines Inoculate Against Fake News Misinformation: “Yesterday Rep. Mick Mulvaney, tapped by Trump to lead the Office of Management and Budget, said ‘I am not yet convinced that it is a direct correlation between man-made activity and the change in the climate, which I do believe is real.’ Given that (as Senator Kaine informed him) OMB oversees the social cost of carbon’s implementation across the federal agencies, this is worrying. Oh, and Rex Tillerson’s written answer to Senator Ben Cardin’s question as to whether or not he accepts the consensus that burning fossil fuels is a key factor in rising temperatures also mischaracterized the consensus. He accepts that extracting and burning fossil fuels raises greenhouse gas levels, and that those gases are a factor in warming, he does “not believe the scientific consensus supports” the idea that greenhouse gases are the ‘key’ factor. The IPCC, AAAS, NAS, AGU, AMS, a bunch of studies and literally every national academy of science on the planet all say that warming is real, happening and caused mostly/primarily/mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels.”
AGRICULTURE, FOOD & GARDENING
Mark Sumner writes—Trump's cone of silence comes down on USDA scientists, ban on public communications in effect: “Donald Trump’s plan to increase transparency by pulling a big hood over every aspect of the government continues on Tuesday. The EPA is already on a lockdown that blocks not just any public glimpse into the organization, but grants that are needed to support research and enforcement. The whole Interior Department has been cut off from social media to prevent the release of anything that might force Trump to brush up against a fact. And now the Department of Agriculture has been told to shut up those scientists. The US Department of Agriculture has banned scientists and other employees in its main research division from publicly sharing everything from the summaries of scientific papers to USDA-branded tweets as it starts to adjust to life under the Trump administration, BuzzFeed News has learned. Like many federal agencies, the USDA is responsible for research and enforcement in a great number of areas. The fact sheets it produces include everything from food safety bulletins, to commodities studies, to economic data. Or it did ...”
MmeVoltaire writes—Entire US Dept of Agriculture now gagged -- Hi Big Brother! “The US Department of Agriculture has banned scientists and other employees in its main research division from publicly sharing everything from the summaries of scientific papers to USDA-branded tweets as it starts to adjust to life under the Trump administration, BuzzFeed News has learned. Coming after the gag order on the EPA about the freezing of grants, this starts to solidify the process whereby we learn what Big Brother wants us to know, and vice versa, about inconvenient things like the pollution created by agribusiness and the health effects of certain practices. Fact sheets are incredibly helpful to the public — we have paid for this research and this writing with our tax dollars — can he just steal it, and smother it, and Big Brother it? And the GOP are right on board.”
Subterra writes—USDA Scientists Ball-Gagged by Trump Administration: “The Trump administration already plans to excise NASA’s Earth Science Division in an effort to deprive scientists of data critical to the study of climate change. Now BuzzFeed has learned that the USDA has forbidden Agricultural Research Services (ARS) scientists from sharing publicly funded research findings with the public: ‘Starting immediately and until further notice, ARS will not release any public-facing documents,’ Sharon Drumm, chief of staff for ARS, wrote in a department-wide email shared with BuzzFeed News. ‘This includes, but is not limited to, news releases, photos, fact sheets, news feeds, and social media content,’ she added. ARS scientists apparently may still present research at conferences and publish articles in scientific journals, but media interviews are now subject to approval by administration apparatchiks. Astute readers will see the mad cow in the barn: science journalists can simply study ARS research findings in published journal articles and then enlighten the public. It’s almost like these Trump staffers aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed.”
Skeptical Raptor writes—Girl Scout cookies and GMO – going anti-STEM: “Of all the icons of American life, buying Girl Scout cookies is one of the annual obligations of life. Americans buy these cookies from parents selling for their daughters, from uniformed Girl Scouts in front of the grocery store, or from a family member. I can’t wait for my annual infusion of Samoas, the Girl Scouts’ take on the macaroon. Caramel and coconut—how could we go wrong? Well, apparently, I need to spend more time to consider the issue of Girl Scout cookies and GMO ingredients. To be honest, I’m more concerned about the calories in each. But here we are. Late last year, The Girl Scouts of the USA made an announcement in regarding Girl Scout cookies and GMO products: At the current time, there are genetically modified agricultural crops (GMOs) in some Girl Scout Cookies based on a range of market-related factors and depending on specific cookie recipes. In some markets, the specialty-ingredient Girl Scout S’mores sandwich cookie baked by Little Brownie Bakers is made with ingredients that are verified as not containing genetically modified organisms. Girl Scouts recognizes that many people have concerns regarding GMO ingredients, and we monitor member and consumer opinion on this matter while simultaneously addressing industry trends, scientific trends, and, of course, consumer preference. Sadly, the Girl Scouts have decided to cave in to the demands of certain groups that GMOs bring some sort of harm to consumers.”
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
pollwatcher writes—Democrats Go On The Offensive With A Massive Infrastructure Plan: “Democrats are not going to sit by and just play defense in the fight against the GOP fascism. Today they are releasing the outline of a massive infrastructure plan. This gets ahead of what is going to be a Trump/GOP massive tax cut for corporations and the rich which will be wrapped in a giant lie that it’s actually an infrastructure plan. A group of senior Senate Democrats on Tuesday plan to unveil their own $1 trillion plan to revamp the nation’s airports, bridges, roads and seaports, urging President Trump to back their proposal, which they say would create 15 million jobs over 10 years. The Democrats said their infrastructure plan would rely on direct federal spending and would span a range of projects including not only roads and bridges, but also the nation’s broadband network, hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs and schools.”
Meteor Blades writes—Eight Democratic senators propose 10-year trillion-dollar infrastructure plan: “America’s infrastructure suffers from decades of reckless neglect, what bureaucrats and policymakers conceal behind the euphemism of ‘deferred maintenance.’ Decrepit describes the consequences. Myopic describes the attitude. This affects many realms—our public schools, our public health system, our electrical transmission grid and, despite how deeply we Americans treasure personal mobility, our transportation system. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and seven of his colleagues are proposing a $1 trillion infrastructure plan today. As The New York Times reports, they are daring Pr*sident Trump to make good on his promises of infrastructure projects. Patrick Sisson writes: ‘From our largest cities to our smallest towns, communities across the country are struggling to meet the challenges of aging infrastructure,’ Senator Schumer said in a prepared statement. ‘Our urban and rural communities have their own unique set of infrastructure priorities, and this proposal would provide funding to address those needed upgrades that go beyond the traditional road and bridge repair.’ The seven other senior Senate Democrats are Bill Nelson (Florida), Bernie Sanders and Patrick J. Leahy (Vermont), Ron Wyden (Oregon), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Washington), and Thomas R. Carper (Delaware).”
Spotlighter writes—Don't Get Too Excited About Trump's Promises to Re-Build Public Infrastructure - I Have a Prediction: “As we all know, Trump has been promising to rebuild American infrastructure (roads, bridges, tunnels, railroads, airports, seaports, etc.) for a long time. This general idea has merit. However, the GOP has consistently nixed all such plans introduced under the Obama administration, citing budgetary constraints. Now, Congressional Democrats have recently submitted a trillion dollar infrastructure plan for government spending with the hope that they can collaborate with Trump, the GOP, industry and unions on this issue. I have a two-part prediction: (1) I expect that at least part of the GOP will continue to argue that the cost of infrastructure improvement is too high, and that the U.S. budget cannot support it. (2) I suspect strongly that Trump has never had in mind spending very much (if any) government money on infrastructure construction anyway.”
Bruce McF writes—Sunday Train: An Ohio Universities Rail System, Part 1 (Southern & Central Ohio): “Well, the 2016 High Speed Rail unlock has been postponed to 2018 or 2020. When transportation policy at the Federal level is grabbed with both hands by the Oil and Gas death lobby, we have to turn to the state level. Now, in Ohio, it might not look like that offers a prospect any better ... but unlike 2010 and 2014, in 2018 the Gubernatorial cycle will be in an election cycle with a President in the Republican party ... which leads to a predictable midterm backlash. That midterm backlash tends to be strongest in the first midterm ... and it seems likely to be even stronger, given the character of the Republican who happens to occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And so bringing the focus of sustainable transportation policy from the Federal level to the State and Local level was in my head when I read: Oxford commits to funds, support for Amtrak stop. The City of Oxford, Ohio, the college town that hosts Miami University (not, of course, ‘the University of Miami’) has committed $350,000 toward the construction of an Amtrak station for the Cardinal that runs through town three times a week to Chicago and DC/NYC. This matches the $350,000 committed by Miami University.”
MISCELLANY
Mother Mags writes—PBS's 'American Experience' tonight is about Rachel Carson. How long till Trump halts its broadcast? ”Granted, NPR and PBS don’t rely nearly as much on federal funding as they used to, which is why those pledge drives get longer and longer. Still, most PBS stations receive about 10-20 percent of their operating budget from the feds, which provides an important financial footing to build on—and, at least in theory, it keeps the stations public, not beholden to advertisers or ratings. Given the shushing of agencies and scientists in just the last few days, will the American Experience program tonight about Rachel Carson even be allowed to air in the near future? A Pennsylvania native who developed her love of clean air and water while growing up near polluted Pittsburgh, Rachel Carson was one of the federal employees Trump would silence: a staffer at the US Bureau of Fisheries who researched and produced brochures, magazine articles, radio shows and other documents about the health of America’s waters and fish populations. It was her job to get the news to the public. Carson also wrote beautiful books about life in the oceans but they didn’t pay the bills, so she kept working for the government. Until, of course, 1962, when Silent Spring was published—one of those ‘books that changed the world.’”
Michael Brune writes—Déjà Vu: “...when San Francisco set its sights on flooding Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley for a reservoir, John Muir successfully lobbied both Roosevelt and his successor, William Howard Taft, to keep it protected. We were on a roll. Then came the divisive presidential election of 1912. [...] Wilson was elected with 41.8 percent of the popular vote. For his Secretary of the Interior, the new president chose the same lawyer who had been hired by San Francisco to argue its case for damming Hetch Hetchy. Sound familiar? Just like that, the Hetch Hetchy Valley was history. For John Muir, who had led the Sierra Club since its founding, the defeat was devastating. He died not long afterward, and more than one person said it was from a broken heart. That would have been the logical time for the Sierra Club to vanish, too. Instead, we spent the next 100 years using every lesson we learned during the unsuccessful Hetch Hetchy campaign to build the modern conservation movement. Did we ever lose another important fight? Yes, of course, but we won many, many more than we lost. And here’s what we have to show for it: most of the protected wilderness, national parks, national monuments, and other public lands that are the legacy of every American today. That first defeat laid the foundation for today’s Sierra Club.”